Innate immune response which is characterized by antiviral cytokines such as interferon-alpha (IFN-, is essential during viral infections. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) are the main IFN- producer cells. We demonstrated that HTLV-1 free viruses induced a strong IFN- production by pDC. Unstimulated pDC were in fact dormant cells stocking intracellular proapoptotic ligand TRAIL (TNF-Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand), which was quickly mobilized at the cell surface of pDC after Toll-like receptor 7 activation. Then, pDC acquire a new killer phenotype, the IKpDC (Interferon producing killer pDC). This is the first demonstration that HTLV-1 free viruses can induce an innate immune response by pDC.Plasma levels of IFN- have been found in HIV-1-infected patients, suggesting a role of IFN- in HIV-associated disease. We hypothesized in our HIV in vitro model the implication of TRAIL/DR5 pathway in CD4 T cells massive depletion observed in HIV-1-infected patients.A population of HIV-infected patients, called « HIV Controllers » (HIC), do not progress to AIDS despite HIV infection, control their viral load and their CD4 T cells depletion. We have then study IFN/TRAIL/DR5 pathway of these patients. Our proteomic and genomic analysis revealed a default of DR5 expression at the cell surface of CD4 T cells from HIV controllers in contrast to progressor patients. DNA sequencing revealed a homozygous substitution in the exon 1 of DR5 gene from HIC. The consequence of this substitution is the change of one amino-acid in the leader region of DR5 protein. Thus, DR5 is uncleaved and is sequestrated in the intracellular copartements in CD4 T cells. The lack of DR5 cell surface expression in HIV Controllers may explain the maintain of CD4+ T cells count and thus the non progression to AIDS.
